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Sealed-bid auction set for two luxury penthouses

43 West

Two duplex penthouses with terraces and views of the Hudson River from an eight-unit building are to be auctioned via sealed bids that are due Dec. 8. The reserve prices were not disclosed.

In the a former 1920 rental building now called West 43, at 552 W. 43rd St., between 10th and 11th avenues, the condos are being marketed as a closeout auction for the developer–Langston Property Service Corp. and American Development Group.

According to the original listing in the OLR broker database, the larger apartment (PH-B) contains 1,862 square feet, three bedrooms, two baths, a 321-sf terrace and an interior lap pool. Additionally, there is a 93-sf private storage space in the basement.

The first of now four brokers listed the place in June 2008 for $1.85 million. The price crept down to $1.6 million, then to $1.65 million in May. The minimum bid is $1.1 million.

As for the second apartment, PH-A is described in its listing as having 1,686 square feet, two bedrooms, two and a half baths and a 358-sf terrace. Alas, no lap pool.

It, too, is on its fourth broker–Paramount Realty USA, which is conducting both sales–since it went on the market in July of 2008. The original price was $2.25 million and was ratcheted down to $1.6 million in May with a couple of hiccups up along the way. Common charges are shown as $1,113 monthly, with real estate taxes at $687. Again, the minimum bid must equal at least $1.1 million.

By way of comparison, an 1,190-sf two-bedroom apartment with an offering price of $995,000 closed in March at $798,000 a 19.8 percent discount.

You can view the apartments at open houses on four Sundays noon-3 p.m. starting Nov. 14; Wednesdays Nov. 17 and Dec. 1, 5-7 p.m.; and on Tuesdays Nov. 23 and Dec. 7, 5-7 p.m.